Engineering blog
04 Aug 2021

The Do’s and Don’ts of Construction Drawing Management

Architectural construction drawing 1 by BluEntCAD

Construction drawing management is one of the most important parts of a construction project. And with the rise of global construction demands, a certain standard of quality must be known to both providers and clients. Here’s a definitive list on what to do – and what not to do.

Introduction

Successful implementation of a construction project is a complex process and requires several steps. A crucial part of this is the construction documentation. This serves as a blueprint for the project and guides the stakeholders about the specifications.

Why is Correct Construction Drawing Management Important?

Construction documents go through many modifications, have to be specific, and are expected to have all the required information.

Incorrect specifications or misunderstandings due to improper documentation can result in design rework issues and cost a lot of money to the firm managing the project. It might also result in delays and client dissatisfaction.

Do’s of Construction Documentation

  • Double check all specifications

    Since construction documentation is a blueprint for the project, all the stakeholders will refer to it.

    Even a slight calculation error can result in major issues for people working on the site. To ensure accuracy, once the calculations and specifications are done, they should be inspected and verified.

  • Use unique identifiers or codes

    Assign unique codes or identifiers to every document, especially if it has multiple versions. This will prevent long document names and make it easier for companies to search for various versions of the same document.

    Consequently, it will be easier to determine if anyone is working off the wrong version or is missing a version.

    Architectural construction drawingArchitectural construction drawing 2 by BluEntCAD

  • Involve all the stakeholders, especially the ones on the ground

    Construction projects can seem entirely different when seen from the perspective of the workers on the site.

    Hence, it is important to ensure that their interests and recommendations are kept in mind when drafting the final documentation.

    Many times, there are issues that are discovered by site workers that could have been avoided if they were consulted beforehand.

  • Use a central document location

    There should be one place where all project files will be placed. This makes them easier to find. Furthermore, all files that are emailed to anyone must have one copy saved in this central location, so that it’s not necessary to search through emails to find a document.

    Additionally, this data should be accessible anywhere, and so ideally your system should be compatible with both desktop and mobile devices. This is an essential part of modern construction drawing management.

  • Ensure coordination between drawing and specifications in the documentation

    This is a common error, but one with potentially severe ramifications. There must be coordination between the drawing and specifications of the components of the designs.

    Parking areas, contract limits, fence locations, etc. should have a drawing that matches the specifications.

Don’ts of Construction Documentation

  • Avoid a solution that doesn’t give platform independence

    Modern construction documentation solutions ensure that the documentation is available on multiple platforms at all the times.

    This is important because it increases the efficiency, flexibility and coordination of the workforce.

  • Don’t forget to include conditions specific to the project

    Factors such as wind speed, soil conditions, temperatures, etc. can significantly impact the project. Therefore, they should be studied and included in the architectural documentation process.

    This will enable workers to make more efficient decisions regarding the project.

  • Don’t take the construction schedule lightly

    The schedule of the project is also included in the documentation, and affects all the stakeholders.

    By reviewing this part, the contracting office will know when and how the project will be completed. The decisions for payments and deadlines will be discussed accordingly.

    construction documentation servicesArchitectural construction drawing 3 by BluEntCAD

  • Don’t forget the order of precedence clause

    In case a subcontractor finds a conflict or inconsistency, there should be a pre-established priority list to decide which document will prevail. Hence, contracts often include an “order of precedence clause”.

Conclusion

We hope this article has given you a good starting point for architectural documentation.

Besides these points, there are other important aspects, such as availability of updated data to all the stakeholders, the flexibility of the software/tool in which the documentation is done, and so on. 

If you require construction documentation services that will take into account every one of these aspects, BluEntCAD is just a click away.

We serve large architectural and engineering companies, new home designers, homebuilders and real estate developers. Take a look at our portfolio to see how we’ve helped other businesses like yours.

Ready for accurate construction drawings that will make your project a success? Contact us now!

Maximum  Value. Achieved.

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CAD Evangelist. "The Do’s and Don’ts of Construction Drawing Management" CAD Evangelist, Aug. 04, 2021, https://www.bluentcad.com/blog/dos-and-donts-construction-drawing-management/.

CAD Evangelist. (2021, August 04). The Do’s and Don’ts of Construction Drawing Management. Retrieved from https://www.bluentcad.com/blog/dos-and-donts-construction-drawing-management/

CAD Evangelist. "The Do’s and Don’ts of Construction Drawing Management" CAD Evangelist https://www.bluentcad.com/blog/dos-and-donts-construction-drawing-management/ (accessed August 04, 2021 ).

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